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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439681">Changeling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jelly_Teas/pseuds/Jelly_Teas'>Jelly_Teas</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And a willing, Angeline smacks Artemis, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Artemis Fowl Big Bang, Artemis Fowl gains magic, Artemis has magic, Artemis is in for a ride, Artemis is put on trial, Artemis is sad, Artemis is sleep deprived, But I put up warnings, Caballine is a medic, Changeling AU, Crime, Doctor Po from book 1 shows up, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fae &amp; Fairies, Fairies have wings, Family Issues, Foaly becomes an accomplice, Friendship, From the Atlantic, Gen, Holly is Boss, Holly just wants to be taken seriously, Holly's mother was a water fairy, Implied Relationships, Magic, Magical Adoption, May have spoilers for the books? It's really au though, May or may not have human smuggling, Mayne might show up at some point, Mentions bloodletting, Mentions of alcohol, Minor Violence, No 1 is awesome, No 1 is number one wizard, No Romance, Root just wants Holly to stay out of trouble, Takes place in the 1600's, That boi is found guilty, The People Hate humans, This takes place during the witch trials, Townspeople hate the Fowl's, Violence against Children, War, almost forgot, but Sick!Juliet, but he's really not guilty, except for maybe mentions of Caballine/Foaly, if not enthusiastic accomplice, just saying, may or may not have consequences for that human smuggling, medieval era, sick!Angeline, sick!Artemis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:15:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29439681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jelly_Teas/pseuds/Jelly_Teas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In another world, another time, not all fairies went underground. After a long and dark war with the humans, the People find themselves faced with a hard decision: stay and fight or hide under the earth. However, a third option is found. Instead of leaving their homes, different families of the People work together and hideaway using magic.<br/>Hundreds of years later that peace may be disrupted when constable Holly Short smuggles a human into Haven.<br/>(Or: Contable Holly Short is sent to a human town to investigate a possible swear toad infestation and comes upon a shocking scene. Unable to stop herself, Holly steps in. Stuck with a human and unsure what to do with him, she decides to bring him with her.)<br/>Meanwhile, Artemis just wants to go back home.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Angeline Fowl &amp; Artemis Fowl II, Angeline Fowl/Artemis Fowl I, Artemis Fowl II &amp; Holly Short, Caballine/Foaly (Artemis Fowl), Domovoi Butler &amp; Artemis Fowl II, Foaly &amp; Holly Short, Juliet Butler &amp; Angeline Fowl, Julius Root &amp; Holly Short</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Artemis Fowl Big Bang 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Fowl Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here it is!! My first story on AO3! I hope you enjoy it. This is pretty heavily au. My story takes place in the 1600s and the fairies have wings! In this chapter, we mainly get to see Artemis's POV.</p><p>ALSO!!!!! The artist who drew the art seen in this chapter is drawn by A-bit-of-joy-is-a-bit-of-me from Tumblr! They are a wonderful artist and I truly enjoyed working with them! </p><p>Here's a link to their profile:</p><p>https://a-bit-of-joy-is-a-bit-of-me.tumblr.com/<br/>(Also, the picture of Artemis will make more sense later, *Wink Wink*)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Fowl Family</p><p><br/>
Artemis Fowl stood just outside of his room in Fowl manor, near the end of a stretched hallway. The walls around him were crafted out of large, carefully placed stones that had been insulated with clay, forming boldly around cold glass windows. Hanging upon the walls were beautiful paintings old and new, detailing a variety of Fowl’s who had come before him. Many of his ancestors watched him solemnly from their wooden frames as if knowing every event he had yet to face, along with the troublesome present at hand. They stood strong and imposing, ready for anything inside their portraits. Artemis's stance was quite the same as he gazed through a cold and foggy glass window, faced filled with an equal, if not greater, amount of solemn sternness that one wouldn't usually find in a twelve-year-old child. Outside, he could make out a large expanse blanketing the countryside in darkness, riddled with tiny stars that seemed to stretch for miles upon miles, swallowing the entire world as he knew it- inside of an empty embrace. Still, he stood, shoulders hiked upwards tensely as he watched almost desperately for any sign of torchlight on the pathway leading up to Fowl Manor. The dark circles under his eyes almost seemed to grow as the night progressed. At some point, the darkness was chased away when the sun started to rise, illuminating the vast world below it.</p><p><br/>
Fresh green grass twinkled outside and the fresh droplets that had covered it was soon illuminated by the sun’s blinding embrace. Beyond the grass stood a forest of thick foliage and beyond it, a small village. His gaze seemed to fixate back on the town, looking at thatched rooftops and winding dirt paths. Suddenly, he shivered, attention finally turning away from the icy window, and towards the chilly stone floors. Even though he was currently wearing shoes, the cold seemed to seep into his feet and throughout his body, without a sign or trace of mercy.</p><p><br/>
Despite the early hour, Artemis was fully dressed in his day clothes, rather than nightclothes. He was currently wearing a white silk doublet, decorated with subtle blue embroidery, along with a dark pair of pants, and buckled black shoes. He was very tired, but in primarily good shape for the coming day. His usually calculating blue eyes were fitted with dark circles, and his shoulders sagged with a seemingly invisible weight, that he alone was set to bear. Despite the apparent exhaustion that seemed to seep off of him, his eyes darted along the roads and pathways outside raptly, expecting a familiar horse-drawn carriage to appear at any second...</p><p><br/>
But it never did.</p><p><br/>
A hand fell on his shoulder, and he flinched, twisting around. Standing before him was Juliet Butler. She wore a long, light blue dress with a white apron. Her blonde hair cascaded around her in wispy elegance, making her appear otherworldly. She winced, feeling more than a little guilt at startling him so suddenly. She stared at him for a moment, biting her lip. Juliet’s blue eyes stared into him, pinched with worry. “I’m sorry! Are you quite alright, Artemis?” She asked, tucking a piece of blonde hair behind her ear, concern evident in her voice. Of course, she was worried; this had started to become an often occurrence. Juliet had found him more than once, looking longingly in some stretch of distance. The dark circles under his eyes seemed to deepen as the days went on, instead of getting better.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine!” Artemis snapped defensively, before wincing at his rudeness. “My apologies. What do you need?” he quickly questioned her, wanting to distract from any further questions about his well being. Perhaps, even, to distract from his own current thoughts and his exhaustion. In response, Juliet paled dramatically, straightening her posture. Her concern was directed at more than just Artemis, now.</p><p>“It’s your mother”, she paused, hesitating, watching him carefully. Artemis tensed and stared at her raptly, now at full attention. “She- well you see-” Juliet paused for a moment quite unsure how Artemis would react; she didn't want to put unnecessary stress on him in his already exhausted state. She quickly searched for the words, as Artemis silently raised an eyebrow. Despite his tired state, he patiently waited for her to continue. Any sentence focusing on his mother lately ended up being decidedly alarming or significant in some way. She took a deep breath and decided to get straight to the point. “She says your father has returned...” Juliet exclaimed.</p><p> </p><p>Artemis’s eyes widened a fraction before his face went slack. Hope coursed through him, but also disbelief. He had been watching the roads most of the night and had seen nothing arrive at the Manor, let alone his father. “Where is she?” He demanded, before correcting himself. “They?” He rasped, heart beating in his ears. Could it be true? Was his father finally back? It seemed impossible- but why would his mother say it, if it weren’t true?</p><p> </p><p>Juliet hesitated before a loud sound of shattering glass startled both her and Artemis. The two looked at each other in shock, before rushing down a series of hallways. They emerged right in front of an articulate stone staircase and across it, was his parent’s room. Artemis tried to open the door but found that it had been locked. He looked at Juliet in confusion and horror, eyes wide and blood rushing through his veins.</p><p> </p><p>“She locked the door! I couldn’t get in, but she said sir Fowl was back and I-” Juliet rambled, looking close to tears. Artemis winced, opening his mouth to respond. However, he was interrupted when his mother suddenly screamed.</p><p> </p><p>Butler charged in through the front door, a dangerous expression on his face. Immediately, he zeroed in on where all of the commotions was coming from. Artemis and Juliet stepped back as if sensing what was about to happen next. He nodded to Artemis, his charge, before dashing forward and breaking down the door, revealing a pitch-black room.</p><p> </p><p>Letting his eyes adjust a bit, Butler stepped into the room and observed the damage. Tensing, he was able to make out Angeline sitting at a small table, back turned to them. He winced, as she shrieked once more, before realizing she hadn’t screamed at all; she had been… laughing? His guard still up, he surveyed the room for any threats but came up empty. “Mrs. Fowl, are you alright?” He asked, feeling a bit apprehensive.</p><p> </p><p>Angeline slowly turned around, beaming. Her messy blonde hair threw off the entire picture, however, along with her exhausted blue eyes. “Why of course! I’ve never been better, in fact!” She told him, not even reacting to the ruined door or the people surrounding it. The opening created a bit of light, showcasing the room in its former glory. The blue wallpaper, originating in western Europe, was peeling. Her once luxurious bed was a mess, blankets were strewn about in a random manner. The windows were covered by long, dark drapes, devoting the entire area to light. A musty smell permeated the room as if no new air was entering. Big and sharp pieces of a rare vase surrounded her table, along with dead flowers that Artemis had picked for her weeks ago. She turned away from them, facing the opposite side of her table, before asking, “Now, dear, what were you saying?”</p><p> </p><p>Immediately, all heads turned to the opposite chair, searching for its occupant. Heart hammering in his chest, Artemis stumbled forward, desperately searching for his father. Vaguely, he wondered why they were sitting alone in the darkness and why his father hadn't announced his arrival home, but at the moment, all he could feel was a relief. Everything was going to go back to normal; his mother was going to recover and his father would be back at long last. This tedious and difficult year could be put behind them, while the Fowl family once again rose to its former greatness.</p><p> </p><p>When he made it to the chair, however, he was hit with a shock, and then, an immeasurable amount of dread. For a moment, it took all that he had not to snap. Instead of finding a person sitting across from his mother, he saw one of his father's old suits laying there, stuffed with one of his mother's expensive feathered pillows. The moment quickly passed, leaving him feeling more empty than ever before; pent up exhaustion threatened to overtake him, and the room seemed close in upon him as he heard his mother's quiet giggles. In the corner of his eye, he could make out Butler's frozen form full of concern but paid it no further mind as a numbness overcame him. In a strained voice, he asked in a gentle whisper, “Mother… are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>Angeline stared at him, unresponsive. Her gray night clothes hung around her thinning frame, damp with sweat. Concerned, Juliet dashed forward, mindful of the glass pieces lying on the floor. It was pure luck that she had decided to wear her shoes this morning, but she was no less grateful. Placing a hand on Angelina's clammy forehead, Juliet gasped in shock, turning pale; Angeline was hot to the touch, practically radiating heat.</p><p> </p><p>Looking Grave, she turned to see Butler talking to Artemis calmly. "She's very ill Artemis."</p><p> </p><p>Whatever Butler had said to him seemed to have helped; Artemis no longer seemed as pale. However, it didn't mean that he wasn't still affected. The preteen inhaled sharply, before coming to a decision.</p><p> </p><p>"Butler, I want you to go into town and find a doctor. Juliet, please help my mother to bed. Do anything you can for her," Artemis told them, feeling a heaviness in his chest and the numbness he had previously felt as if it was spreading across his body like pins and needles. Artemis took a breath before he solemnly continued, "… I need to take care of something", he muttered softly, before swiftly exiting the room.</p><p><br/>
His head was spinning with thoughts that he had been pushing away for months- they overwhelmed him, pushing him into an even more stressed state. Ever since his father had left last year to make a deal with the English, everything had started to spiral dramatically. Fowl Senior had been due to return seasons ago, and yet, they were still waiting for him. It was putting a strain on them all; Artemis could practically see the happiness draining from his mother as the days went by. Artemis had even been forced to start managing the family's finances; it had made his mother quite upset, seeing him sitting at his father's desk looking through the financial logs. The greater half of him believed that if his father were to return, then everything would improve greatly- maybe even go back to normal.<br/>
He absently stepped over the fallen door, before making his way down the winding stone hallways, almost in an almost trance-like state. The cold bit at him, curling around his ankles like vicious snakes, and though the sun had long since risen and it was now past supper time, the manor had seemed to somehow repel heat. Wrapping his arms around himself, Artemis let out an abrupt shiver. How the manor had gotten to be so cold was beyond him; it was Spring for crying out loud, not winter.</p><p> </p><p>Shrugging it off, he knew he had something far more urgent to attend to. He had finally arrived at the dreaded destination. Hesitantly stepping into his father's study, Artemis made his way over to the hardwood desk that he had caught his father at countless times before- the desk Artemis had started working at in his father's absence; after all, someone had to regulate the family finances. He grabbed a piece of parchment from one of the desk's drawers, along with an elegant-looking quill. Sitting down in the leather-coated chair, Artemis started writing. it was time to call his father home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you liked it! If you see any errors, feel free to point them out. It's my first time posting on AO3, so I'm still kind of figuring it out.</p><p>As I said earlier, the artist who drew the art in this chapter is named, A-bit-of-joy-is-a-bit-of-me from Tumblr!<br/>https://a-bit-of-joy-is-a-bit-of-me.tumblr.com/</p><p>Check out their profile!! :0</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Doctor Po</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Doctor is coming</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the chapter Doctor Po (from book one!) appears in. Rest assured, he is not an OC. Enjoy!<br/>Also, just going to put this out there:</p><p>*Warning for mentions of bloodletting. (No actual bloodletting)</p><p>*Violence against children. (Near the part where the doctor moves away from the bed. I put up a warning! Skip if this triggers you!)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Doctor Po</p><p>It was a regular afternoon in the village when Doctor Po found himself heading to a place he had never expected to go to again: Fowl Manor. Not only was the house quite a ways from town, but the family themselves were rather shrouded in mystery.</p><p>So when the doctor received a house call, he was more than a little surprised. At most, he only saw the family once every few years, if that. Besides a yearly checkup, he hardly heard from them at all. It was a rare occasion to see any of the Fowl's around town. Even their son was strangely reclusive... Artemis was it? Well, he hardly ever deigned to interact with children his age, let alone went outside to play with them, as far as the doctor knew.</p><p>That being said, when the family's extremely intimidating manservant (?) practically hauled him to the Manor on a house call, he was quite unhappy. The tall and bulky man had appeared in the town early in the morning, practically demanding Po come immediately. Recognizing that it was most likely a medical emergency, the doctor had hardly had the time to grab his medical kit (let alone his other tools!), before quickly following Butler to the Manor. Hopefully, the situation wasn't going to be as bad as the Fowl's obviously thought it was.</p><p>As they arrived at the old family manor, Po was struck by the home's grand beauty. His last house call had been about the time when young Artemis was born. Since then, he had nearly forgotten how breathtaking and carefully crafted the home was. Compared to the average village house, it was like a castle from a fairy tale, and the Fowl's certainly hadn't spared any expenses.</p><p>As Butler guided him through the front door, he saw that the inside was equally, if not more so, extravagant than the outside. The entrance hall was filled with rich and colorful tapestries depicting a variety of art. Tall windows let natural sunlight filter in, lighting the room up. From the door, Po could see a tall staircase leading up to the Manor's various, and presumably spacious rooms. Clearing his throat to catch Butler's attention, the doctor decided to figure out more about the situation, for he had no idea what he was dealing with.</p><p>"Might I ask what has happened, to require a house call?" He asked nervously. If he was dealing with a potential disease outbreak, he wanted to know. Also, though he wouldn't admit it, the doctor found Butler quite intimidating.</p><p>In response, Butler narrowed his eyes, assessing the town's doctor for a moment. Finally, he decided that it would be better for the man to be informed now, rather than later. Unfortunately, he had no idea where to even start.</p><p>"Mrs. Fowl has fallen gravely ill", Butler told him carefully. "She needs treatment immediately."</p><p>Before more could be said, Juliet stepped down the stairs looking exhausted but on high alert; she seemed to evaluate him as well before speaking.</p><p>"Right this way, Doctor Po. I'm very sorry for the sudden call, but the sickness came on suddenly, without warning," Juliet explained, before gesturing up the steps. "Mrs. Fowl is right this way."<br/>

Shaking his head, Doctor Po placed his medical case into his other hand and walked after her. Thoughts fluttered through his mind, mostly about the illness he would soon have to treat. The situation was looking more and more worrisome as time went by, not to mention unusual; what could have caused her to get sick so suddenly?</p><p>After a couple of moments, they arrived at their destination. Strangely, Angeline's room appeared to be separated from the hallway not with a door, but a blanket (1). Deciding not to question it, the doctor decided to focus on the patient.</p><p>Right before going inside, however, Po noticed the youngest member of the Fowl family standing right next to the entrance. Although he had never talked to Artemis much, his identity was unmistakable. With some concern, he realized that the child did not look too well himself. He wondered if perhaps, this sickness could be contagious...</p><p>"You must be Doctor Po," Artemis stated calmly, blue eyes glittering darkly. Perhaps it was just the lighting, but his entire appearance seemed to hold the seriousness of an adult. "Before you go in, I must warn you that my mother has been experiencing delusions. Most likely, it seems, due to the fever."</p><p>Po nodded in response, feeling alarmed at the information. "Anything else I should know about before heading in?" He asked, glancing towards the adults in the hall. Receiving head shakes in response, he pushed the blanket aside and cautiously walked into the bedroom.</p><p>The first thing he noticed was encompassing darkness enveloping the inside of the room. The curtains were drawn tightly shut, hardly letting any light in. Photosensitivity, then? He wondered, taking a mental note of it while his eyes adjusted. Lying unconscious in the bed was Angeline Fowl, whose appearance spoke of exhaustion and deep sickness. Her face was flushed and her hair was damp with sweat, sticking in clumps on her forehead. She looked to be deep asleep.</p><p>Approaching the bed, the doctor set his medical bag on the end of it before pulling out some tools essential for performing an examination. After setting them on an oak wood stand nearby, Po leaned over to check her temperature. Before he could even touch her, a hand wrapped around his wrist, crushing it with intensity. Gasping in shock and no bit of terror, he glanced back, eyes wide.<br/>
Staring back at him was Angeline Fowl, eyes filled with grief and terror. "My son", she cried out, tears spilling down her face "I need my son!"</p><p>Doctor Po was shocked into silence as her plea turned into screams filled with desperation. "ARTEMIS! Please, I just want to see my baby", she weeped.</p><p>As if summoned by the yells, Artemis dashed into the room looking as pale as a sheet, followed by Butler, who was grasping a knife, and Juliet who looked just as dangerous. Immediately, his attention honed in on the doctor. "What are you doing to my mother", he hissed angrily, face flushing and eyes narrowing in anger.</p><p>Doctor Po blinked repeatedly before attempting to sputter out an answer. "I wasn't-- she just suddenly started screaming! I didn’t do anything!" He exclaimed before backing away from the bed.<br/>
Still suspicious but rather relieved, Artemis found himself at his mother's side. At the same time, Butler moved towards the doctor, intent on clarifying whether or not he was actually a threat. Hesitantly, Artemis reached out to his mother, setting his hand at her side.</p><p>"I'm here mother, are you alright?" He questioned worriedly, giving her a once over for any injury. Logically, he knew that the doctor most likely wouldn't pull anything, but the Fowl family had many enemies. Not all of them were in the open.</p><p>Angeline startled before practically coughing in his face. "Artemis, my baby boy", she whimpered, hands reaching towards him desperately. Concerned and embarrassed, he allowed her to feel his face. He wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, but he was too tired to really care at this point. Any relief was short-lived, however, as she froze and pulled away, staring at him intently.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>--(Violence against children warning!)--</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>"You're not my son", Angeline muttered quietly.</p><p>"What?" He asked, not quite hearing what his mother just mumbled.</p><p>"YOU'RE NOT MY SON! Get away from me! I don't know who you are or what you did to him, but you aren't my Arty!" She bellowed angrily, scrambling away from him.</p><p>Heart pounding and more than a little hurt, he leaned forward and reached towards her. "M-mother, what are you talking about, of course, I'm your-"</p><p>He was suddenly cut off as she smacked him hard in the face. Falling to the side, he hit his shoulder against the oak dresser next to the bed. Instead of sharp pain, however, all he felt at that moment was shock. Lightly touching the place she had struck, the feeling of pins and needles littered his face. Butler instantly appeared by his side, looking almost as surprised as he felt. Never before had Angeline Fowl appeared on his radar as anything close to a threat. It seemed, however, that there was a first time for everything.</p><p>
  <em>
    <strong>--Warning end, except for aftermath--</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>Pulling his charge up from the floor, Butler noted with some alarm that a red mark was appearing on the side of his face. Artemis looked at him blankly, appearing unaffected by his mother's outburst. However, Butler knew Artemis. He was obviously more affected than he was letting on. Turning, he looked at Angeline darkly. Even though she was obviously extremely sick, he couldn't help but to feel angry not just at her, but also at himself. It was the Butler family duty to protect their charge at all costs and he had just failed to do so. Juliet also seemed extremely troubled; though the room was dark, he managed to be able to see the shock and horror on her face clearly.</p><p>The doctor coughed uncomfortably but opted to mind his own business. He had seen patients react in strange ways when they were sick, so he wasn’t really taken too much off guard. However, he believed he knew now, what she was suffering from. Stepping forward, he grabbed his bag off of the bed and pulled out a tiny blade.</p><p>“It’s quite obvious to me now that Angeline is suffering from hot blood. The most effective treatment I can recommend is bloodletting. From how she’s reacting, I also believe she will need to be restrained for the safety of herself and others”, Doctor Po told them confidently. It had been a long time since he had dealt with someone quite this ill, but he was quite certain of his diagnosis. All he had to do was get out the tools and start treatment. At this point, he couldn’t guarantee her survival, but he would certainly try.</p><p>Artemis quickly shook his head stubbornly, red blotch clear on his face. “You will not be bloodletting her. Instead, it would be much more effective if you administered herbal treatment”, he responded firmly. From what he’d read, he could firmly say that he didn’t believe in bloodletting. Although there was nothing disproving it, he felt herbal treatment could be effective in halting her fever.</p><p>Doctor Po took it upon himself to look quite affronted at the very idea and he practically sneered, "Let's let the adults discuss it, why don't we?" He said with a roll of his eyes, looking towards Butler for an answer. Po had simply decided to ignore Artemis’s input, seeing as he was just a child. After all, what would a 12-year-old know about medical treatments? Bloodletting would be the most effective treatment and surely the adult should be making the decision here, especially seeing how important it was. Even though Butler was… well, a butler, he was the oldest one here and the most capable of making such a decision, in his eyes, even if the manservant could be quite… frightening.</p><p>Raising an eyebrow at Artemis's irritation, Butler nodded. “You heard what he said”, Butler stated simply. He trusted Artemis’s judgment. Even though his charge was young, he was most certainly a genius. Seeing as Artemis was reading at one and a half years old without a tutor, he wouldn’t be surprised if the boy had come across some common treatments and such in the family library at some point. Needless to say, Artemis was unlike any child Butler had ever met before and he doubted that would ever change; If the boy asked for herbal treatment, there had to be a reason as he would never risk his mother's health.</p><p>"Fine then, herbal treatment it is", he said with no small amount of irritation. As a doctor, he disapproved of their choice. Especially since it was made by a boy, no less.<br/>
"However, I do not currently have many herbs on me, just what's in my bag. I didn't have the time to grab much on my way here. In the meantime, here are some fever-reducing roots you can give her. I suggest boiling them into tea for her to drink", he told them with a sigh. The next day, he would be back with more. After taking inventory of his reserves, however. Since it was spring, his supplies had yet to recover from the wear-and-tear of the Winter months. A walk in the forest or a delivery from another town might be in order. Hopefully, he would have enough to deal with this situation. He handed Juliet a pouch of ground-up dandelion roots (2), before huffing and heading out of the dark bedroom.</p><p>Stepping down the stairs, Po walked through the entrance hall and went outside through the quite elegantly carved front door. Reveling in the fresh air as the scent of sickness was blown away, he took a step forward; it was time to start the walk home. The sooner he got this business over with, the better. With the rate of things, perhaps he would stop by the bar later. It was certainly a day to have a drink.<br/>
--Fowl Manor--<br/>
Juliet noted with some relief that after brewing her some of the tea, Angeline seemed to be doing much better. Immediately after finishing the cup, Mrs. Fowl had almost immediately fallen asleep. While Juliet was doing this, however, Artemis and Butler were having a discussion in Artemis Fowl Senior's study. One that would prove to be quite important. A talk that had the potential to influence future events.</p>
<hr/><p>"Artemis, about your mother," Butler said softly. He knew that his charge didn’t want to talk about it, but Butler knew that it was important for him to do so. Even though Artemis wouldn’t want to admit it, surely his mother's actions had hurt him more than just physically. Before he could go on further, Artemis decided to bring up the topic he’d been dreading. Even that would be better than talking about this.</p><p>“Butler, I need to talk to you about something.” The young genius told him, mouth lilted into a slight frown.</p><p>Butler shook his head, determined to hit this topic head-on. “No Artemis. You can’t avoid this topic. What your mother did wasn’t-”</p><p>“It’s about my father.” Artemis told him stiffly, back straight and eyes narrowed. For just a single, short moment, Butler could see how purely exhausted he was. Immediately, the manservant halted his speech. Seeing that Artemis was bringing it up now… it must be important.</p><p>With a heavy heart, Butler decided to listen.</p><p>“With mother in this state, I can’t help but be worried. Ever since father left for his trade deal with the English, her health has taken a downward spiral. If-” Artemis swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment, before continuing on. “If anything were to happen to her, I want father to be here when it happens.”</p><p>Butler stared at him sharply, listening to every word. If Artemis was saying what he thought he was saying…</p><p>“I wrote him a letter explaining everything,” he continued on, pulling an envelope with the Fowl seal on it. “I want you to find him, Butler.” Artemis finished solemnly.</p><p>Slowly, Butler shook his head in disbelief. Surely if anything were to happen he would be needed here; it was his job to watch over and protect Artemis, and as much as he'd like to go out and chase leads on Artemis Fowl Senior, his job was to the man's son first. Speaking of which, the poor boy didn't look well at all.</p><p>"Artemis, I implore you to reconsider. Your father is under the protection of my Uncle. He's certainly in good hands. Perhaps they just need more time?" Butler said, practically grasping at straws at this point. He knew that Fowl Senior had never been gone for nearly an entire year before. He himself couldn't help but worry at this point; to consider that something had happened to them, but he couldn't just leave his charge here!</p><p>"Butler, time is not something we have on our side; it is not kind or caring, not to mention that mother is at its mercy. I need you to do this. I'll be fine here with Juliet." He responded stubbornly. However, even though Artemis's sentence had started out strong, it had ended in an almost desperate manner.</p><p>Despite Artemis's reasoning, Butler still found himself worried. He knew that with Angeline Fowl sick, Juliet would struggle to split her attention between both Artemis and his mother at the same time. After all, it was impossible to be in two places at once. Logically, he knew that his sister was an almost fully trained Butler, but he couldn't help but feel uneasy; something in this situation just didn't feel right. A bad feeling was lingering in his gut, urging him to stay. Crinkling his eyebrow, Butler decided to protest one last point, even though it was something he hated to bring up.</p><p>"Artemis, every lead we've chased so far has come to a dead-end", he rumbled in frustration. "There was practically nothing to go off of in the first place. It's Spring, so perhaps he is only being delayed at sea. The best thing we can do now is wait", Butler insisted.</p><p>"Butler, please. We have to try something. Anything", Artemis pleaded. "Mother needs him." I need him. "All I'm asking you to do is take two days' time to Mullingar and visit their aviary." He explained.<br/>
After a tense moment, Butler's shoulders dropped in defeat. With a heavy sigh, he held out his hand, which was about the size of a tea kettle. Quickly, Artemis handed it to him, along with the amount needed for the service of renting a bird messenger.</p><p>"Thank you Butler", Artemis told him softly. He felt guilty, asking him to leave like this, but he saw no other choice.</p><p>"Don't thank me yet. You better stay out of trouble while I'm gone", Butler warned, narrowing his eyes. Despite his agreement, the bad feeling was still steadily growing. As was his worry.<br/>
"Worry not. When have I been known to cause trouble?" Artemis joked, looking exhausted. However, his companion was unamused. It wasn't really Artemis that he thought would be causing potential problems. After all, the Fowl's had many enemies.</p><p>At last, the two parted ways, and after some preparation, Butler found himself setting off on a journey to a nearby town. Artemis and Juliet saw him off rather half-heartedly. Neither of them really wanted him to go, after all. Grabbing a strong horse and packing some much-needed supplies, Butler left the Manor quickly and quietly, riding into the long dark.</p><p>That night, those in the Manor fell into an uneasy slumber, unaware of the danger they would soon be in.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you liked the chapter! It's not Artemis-centric, unfortunately, but it'll have to do I guess. Until next time!<br/>P.S: this is also posted on Amino and Fanfiction.net!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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